With all of the fuss over the controversies
that emerged from this past General Convention, many other important
developments in the Church's life and ministry have been lost in the shuffle.
Allow me here to ask you to take a couple of steps back with me in order to
regain some perspective of the larger picture. There isn't the space here to do
these actions much justice but, hopefully, we can open the doors so that they
can become part of our discussions for the way ahead over the next few years.
Probably the most immediately impacting
action from GC 2003 was to set five priorities for funding the budget for the
national Church. In order of priority for funding (1) Young Adults and Youth;
(2) Reconciliation Ministries and Evangelism; (3) Congregational Support and
Transformation; (4) Justice and Peace; (5) Partnerships (Anglican Communion,
Ecumenical, Interfaith). Incredibly, this is the first time that the Church
has set "official" priorities for budgeting purposes.
I'm heartened by the call for a
much-needed reform of the General Convention itself. We've begun a study
that will focus on trying to make that clumsy behemoth more efficient and
even-handed. It is also hoped that it can be shorter in duration and less
costly. There is strong consensus across the board that the Convention is one
very dysfunctional system! The proposal for reform will be considered in 2006.
Also close to my heart is the approval of an
extensive study on "the future of theological
education." Over the past fifteen years or so, this has come to be seen as an
increasingly critical issue. It has also proven to be very complicated and
problematic. There have been some smaller-scale and unconnected studies done in
this arena, but this is the first time that we have set up an integrated,
national approach. The appointees are real heavyweights—very promising! Also
affecting the seminaries was the approval of specifics in training for
evangelism at the congregational level and the call for our seminaries to
reshape their curricula to reflect those values.
Other actions [in no particular order]:
*Adopted a framework for strengthening small ;
*Approved a study for reforming our various processes to nominate and elect
bishops,
including the expectations we put on a bishop;
*Approved a national advertising campaign (TV and radio) for the Episcopal
Church;
*"Ethnic Desk" positions at the national Episcopal Church Center for Asian
American,
Black-American, and Native American ministries;
*A coordinated study of all of our world mission programs;
*Programs aimed at strengthening LIFE LONG Christian education and spiritual
formation;
*Approved the use of the "Revised Common Lectionary," bringing all Church
denominations that use a set schedule of Scripture readings for Sunday worship
into a common use.
Obviously, there's a lot going on, and much important and exciting work to do.
Surfs Up!
In Christ,
Shannon+
